Operating mechanism



Jan.26,1943. A AU 2,309,478

OPERATING MECHANISM Filed Aug. 5. 1941 Inventor: Arthur .H. Rau,

His Abtorriey.

Patented Jan. 26, 1943 OPERATING MECHANISM Arthur H. Ran, Manoa, Pa.,assignor to General Electric Company, York corporation of NewApplication August 5, 1941, Serial No. 405,479

4 Claims. (01. 192-67) My invention relates to improvements in operatingmechanisms, especially for electric switches and the like, and moreparticularly to improvements in operating mechanisms which may beoperated by a motor or manually.

Disconnecting switches, when used in relatively high voltage circuits,are frequently mounted on a framework of suitable structural members ata height above ground or operating level sufiicient to provide safetyfor the operating personnel. In such mountings the operation of theswitches is usually effected through one or more cranks andinterconnecting links which are normally actuated to open and close theswitch by a suitable motor drive either directly or through a. gearmechanism. In order to keep the motor clear of high voltage equipmentand readily available for inspection and maintenance and also to be ableto operate the switches manually from the normally safe operating level,a relatively long, vertically mounted shaft may be employed. When thisshaft is arranged to be actuated by a motor, some means must be providedto actuate the shaft in the event of motor failure and also in case ofinspection or maintenance of switch structure to eliminate the usualautomatic motor control and drive. Such changeover features must besimple and positive so that operation can be effected quickly withoutdanger to either personnel or apparatus. Moreover, such features must beavailable at reasonable cost and free from erection refinements such asunity in alignment of the operating and motor shafts, in order to beeconomically justifiable.

An object of my invention is to provide an improved operating mechanismwherein the changeover from motor operation to manual operation or viceversa can be quickly made and wherein the maximum safety to personnel isinsured. Another object of my invention is to provide an improved butrelatively inexpensive and simple structure for reducing the cost to aminimum. These and other objects of my invention will appear in moredetail hereinafter.

In accordance with my invention, I provide an operatin mechanismcomprising two cooperating clutch members one of which so engages theadjacent ends of the operating shaft and the motor shaft in the clutchdisengaged or manual operating position as to provide a suitable bearingfor the end of the operating shaft adjacent the motor shaft whereby toprevent lateral deflection or misalignment of the operating shaft duringmanual operation. Thus, in accordance with my bearing structure for therelatively long operating shaft the upper end of which may be suitablyjournaled in the gear mechanism or otherwise and also simplify erection.

My invention will be better understood from the following descriptionwhen considered in connection with the accompanying sheet of drawing,and its scope will be pointed out in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawing, Fig. 1 is a side elevation of aswitch-operating mechanism embodying my invention; Fig. 2 i a sideelevation partly in section of the embodiment of my invention shown inFig. l with the parts arranged for motorv operation; and Fig. 3 is anelevation similar to Fig. 2 with the parts arranged for manualoperation.

In the embodiment of my invention shown in Fig. l the operatingmechanism comprises a vertical shaft l the rotation of which iseffective through a suitable gear mechanism 2 to actuate a crank 3 and alink 4 attached thereto. The link 4 may be arranged to actuate thedisconnecting switch, not shown, directly or through another mechanismin a manner well known to the art. The gear mechanism 2 is mounted on asuitable supporting structure shown simply as comprising structuralmembers 5 and 6. At its upper end the operating shaft I is attached tothe jack-shaft l of the gear mechanism by suitable means such as acoupling 8. In order to prevent whip in the operating shaft, suitableguides 9 and [0, through which the shaft passes, may be secured to thesupporting member 6. In order to take the weight of the operating shaftI the shaft may be provided with a suitably secured collar l Iimmediately above the guide 9. For actuating the operating shaft 1 inboth directions, I provide suitable means such as a reversible electricmotor l2 which, as shown, is suitably secured to the supporting member 6so that the motor shaft I3 is aligned with the operatin shaft with asmall gap between their adjacent ends as I 1 shown in Figs. 2 and 3.

member I 4 is keyed to the motor shaft :3 so as to rotate therewith. Theclutch member I4 is also provided with suitable means, such as a setinvention, I materially reduce the expense of screw fi maintaining it ina predetermined position lengthwise of the motor shaft. The clutchmember I5 is longitudinally movable on the operating shaft I to which itis splined by suitable means, such as a key II. A set screw I8 may alsobe provided for fixing the clutch member I5 in predetermined positionslengthwise of the operating shaft I. Upward movement of the clutchmember I5 in the disengagedposition of the clutch member I5 may belimited by suitable means, such as a collar I9, which can be definitelypositioned on the operating shaft I as by means of a set screw 20. Inorder that the shaft I may be manually rotated, the clutch member I5 isprovided with a hand wheel 2|. For manual operation, the clutch memberI5 is released for upward movement from the position shown in Fig. 2 tothe position shown in Fig. 1 by backing off the set screw I8. In thisupward position the set screw I8 may be again set to hold the clutchmemger in the disengaged position shown in Fig.

Since there is a considerable portion of the lower end of the operatingshaft I unrestrained against lateral movement and since the addition ofa hearing at the lower end of the operating shaft I would not only addto the cost of the mechanism but also introduce a problem in nicety ofalignment between the motor shaft bearings and the operating shaftbearings, I provide, in accordance with my invention, an arrangementwhich dispenses with the necessity for a bearing at the lower end of theoperating shaft. In order to accomplish this result, I provide theclutch member i5 with a, bearing portion which is long enough to extendbeyond the end of the motor shaft I3. This bearing portion is the hub orsleeve portion of the clutch member I5, and in the manual operating orclutch disengaged position, this portion overlaps the upper end of themotor shaft I 3, as shown in Fig. 3, whereby to prevent lateraldeflection of the operating shaft when the clutch member I5 is operatedas a hand wheel. In other words, in this manual operating position ofthe clutch member I5, the upper end of the motor shaft provides abearing for the operating shaft. Since manual operation is relativelyinfrequent and rotation is much slower than under motor operation, asimple bearing of this type is not only satisfactory from the operatingstandpoint but is also economical and easy to erect.

Since motor operation may at times be undesirable, I provide means forpositively maintaining the clutch members I4 and I5 in the disengagedposition shown in Fig. 3. As therein illustrated, this means comprises amovable member 22 which is pivotally supported at 23 on the motorsupporting structure. This member 22 is provided with an opening 24which is arranged to register with an opening 25 in an arm 26 alsomounted upon the supporting structure so that suitable locking means,such as a pin or padlock, may be passed through the registering openings24 and 25 to maintain the member 22 in the position shown in Fig. 3 asan added means to keep the clutch member I5 disengaged from the clutchmember I4 and to prevent unauthorized manual operation of the hand wheel2 I. This also provides a safety factor such that mere operation of themotor controls, not shown, cannot cause operation of the switches whenthey are being inspected or maintained by the operating personnel.

Further, in order to increase the safety from this standpoint, I providemeans for preventing effective rotation of the shaft I when the clutchmembers I4 and I5 are disengaged. As shown, this means comprises one ormore projecting portions or radially disposed lugs 21 on the web of thehand wheel 2I of the clutch member I5. Only two of these lugs are shownin Figs. 2 and 3, but as many as may be desired can be provided. Ingeneral, four spaced apart are sufficient since this much rotation ofthe hand wheel is ineffective to produce a material movement of theswitch. In the locked position of the member 22, it is in the path ofmovement of the lugs 27 so that the first lug which touches it preventsfurther turning of the hand wheel 2| and, therefore, stops rotation ofthe operating shaft I. When it is desired to remove any barrier tomanual operation or engagement of the clutch members, the movable member22 may be released by removal of Whatever means are used to lock it inthe position shown in Fig. 3, whereupon the member 22 can be moved tothe position shown in Fig. ,2. In this position the hand wheel 2i may berotated for manual operation or the clutch member I5 may be lowered intoengagement with the clutch member I4 and the set screw i8 tightened sothat the operating shaft I is both coupled to and clutched with themotor shaft I3.

In order to prevent the movable member 22 from being raised into theposition shown in Fig. 3 and locked therein before the clutch member i5is disengaged from the clutch member I4, I provide suitable means, suchas a lug 28 on the member 22 which abuts the hand wheel 2I when in theposition shown in Fig. 2 upon any attempt to turn the member 22counterclockwise into the locking position. When the clutch member I5 ismoved upward on the shaft I as shown in Fig. 3, this interferencebetween the hand wheel 2| and the lug 28 is removed so that the member22 may be swung into position to lock the hand wheel 2% againstunauthorized operation. From a safety standpoint, it is important thatthe movable member 22 cannot be moved into the locking position when theclutch member I5 is in engagement with the clutch member I4 since thelatter is directly secured to the motor shaft. Any such locking actionwould stall the motor by reason of the lugs 21 engaging the member 22.This would prevent rotation of the motor armature and probably causedamage to the parts by overloading the motor and otherwise straining themechanism.

While I have shownand described my invention in considerable detail, Ido not desire to be limited to the exact arrangements shown, but seek tocover in the appended claims all those modifications that fall withinthe true spirit and scope of my invention.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the UnitedStates is:

1. In an operating mechanism particularly for electric switches and thelike, two substantially aligned shafts, means for coupling said shaftsfor simultaneous movement comprising cooperating clutch members on saidshafts near their adjacent ends one of said clutch members beingrotatable with its shaft and longitudinally movable thereon, meanscomprising a movable memher for maintaining said clutch membersdisengaged, means for preventing effective rotation of one of saidclutch members when said movable member is in position to maintain theclutch members disengaged, and means for preventing the movement of saidmovable member to said position while the clutch members are engaged.

2. In an operating mechanism particularly for electric switches and thelike, two substantially vertical aligned shafts, means for rotating oneof said shafts, cooperating clutch members on said shafts near theiradjacent ends, the clutch member on one of said shafts being rotatabletherewith and longitudinally movable thereon to and from engagement withthe clutch member on the other shaft, means comprising a movable memberadapted to be restrained in a predetermined position to maintain saidcooperating clutch members disengaged, means for preventing effectiverotation of said cooperating clutch member when said movable member isin said predetermined position, and means for preventing the movement ofsaid movable member to said predetermined position while said clutchmembers are in engagement.

3. In an operating mechanism particularly for electric switches and thelike, an operating shaft, a motor provided with a shaft substantiallyaligned with said operating shaft and having an end adjacent said oneend of the operating shaft, a clutch member on the motor shaft adjacentsaid one end of said operating shaft, an operating member comprising ahollow cylindrical portion longitudinally movable on said shafts attheir adjacent ends and rotatable with said operating shaft, saidoperating member comprising a cooperating clutch member engageable withthe clutch member on the motor shaft to cause rotation of the operatingshaft when the motor is energized, means for blocking said operatingmember in the clutch disengaged position comprising a pivoted membermovable to a locking position when the operating, member is in theclutch disengaged position, and means comprising a lug on said pivotedmember engageable with said operating member to prevent movement of thepivoted member to the locking position when the operating member is inthe clutch engaged position.

4. In an operating mechanism particularly for electric switches and thelike, a first vertical shaft. a second vertical shaft in substantialalignment with said first shaft, means for rotating said second shaft, aclutch member on said second shaft adjacent said one end of said firstshaft, a cooperating clutch member rotatable with said first shaft andlongitudinally movable on the adjacent ends of said shafts to engage theclutch member on said second shaft, means comprising a movable memberlockable in a predetermined position to maintain said cooperating clutchmembers disengaged, means for preventing effective rotation of saidcooperating clutch member when said movable member is in saidpredetermined position, and means on said movable member engageable withsaid cooperating clutch member while in the clutch-engaging position toprevent movement of; the movable memher to the predetermined position.

ARTHUR H. RAU.

